Let's start with a game I think is actually bad! That doesn't mean that I hate it or that it's filler, no no. There's actually a ton of games that had to get cut from this list, at least 20 or so, including it's more beloved sequel Earthbound. What helps MOTHER steal a slot is it's cozy aesthetic of late 20th century suburbia and a somewhat emotional underground narrative that deserved to be brought up more within the game itself. It's a game that transcends it's quality.

A really great rendition on an arcade staple, Pac-Man Arrangement is a short and sweet experience that I keep coming back to.

The only Shantae game I've played and it definitely hooked me on the series. It's cute and spunky, just like the game's protag.

Another Wayforward game, Ducktales Remastered takes the already iconic NES game and elevates it to its greatest potential.

Hardcore slept on racing game that's somewhat mechanically deep, as well as having that cool and stylish aesthetic I love to see out of Sonic.

The quintessential shitter game. Perfect for short sessions when nothing else is going on.

A classic but short game expanded into one of the finest puzzle games you can play. You already know it's good just from how popular it is!

A really fun "play every day" game where you, friends, and memes can get into wild scenarios. The formula writes itself.

One of the first PC games I've heard about, and definitely one with a lot of charm and replayability.

The main reason I got a switch in 2017, and definitely one of the plumber's better outings. While I generally think his platformers are fine, This game really goes the extra mile to wow me with it's seemingly endless amount of secrets. (Maybe too many secrets)

An overall solid entry that I would say deserves its status as most people's nostalgia game. It's even nostalgic to me and I never played it until I was like 15.

While I'm not a Zelda aficionado, this game is incredibly cute and strangely beautiful. Definitely deserves more love in the Zelda sphere.

I actually don't have much to say about Shadow Dragon. It just is a really solid game that should focus more on the characters it has, yet is just really fun to play.

I'm so sorry DQ5 fans. I really do see what you all love in this game, but of the DQs I've put a considerable amount of time into this one's probably my least favorite. It's a really great and innovative story about a young man's life and I totally get into it, but other DQ games are just more fun for me.

This game isn't as emotionally powerful as DQ5, and I would say DQ5 is better overall. However, I generally like the gameplay structure more for this game, as well as the designs of the protags (Why can't I be cool like Sofia?). Overall these games are very close to each other, which is something you'll see a bit in this list among games in the same series going forward.

This game invented comedy with its witty writing. If only it existed on a console that didn't gimp its control scheme. Too bad Mustard Hero Sack of Rye hates sequels.

You know what I said about Tomodachi Life? Imagine that, but with better character customization and make it an RPG too. RPG's are my favorite genre, and you'll see that they kind of dominate this list, so it's no surprise it's a slight bit higher than Tomodachi for me.

Truth be told, I don't even own this game. Yet, I've played it, and seen footage of everything and man this game goes hard. I love how a boxing game essentially turns into a puzzle featuring questionably racist but still loveable caricature, and I would love to see this series come back in some way. (BTW Soda Popinski is the best one)

WarioWare is a series that is just addictively fun. Arcade styled high score games where you do a bunch of stupid and nonsensical shit to an ever quickening time limit. It drives up adrenaline something fierce and always makes me want more. Touched! is a great and charming game for anyone who owns a DS.

Sonic's penultimate adventure on the GBA is one of pure nostalgic bliss for me. The fact this game ties itself to its sequel, Sonic Battle, which ties itself to the anime made me feel like the Sonic franchise was whole and consistent as a kid, and it's something I love about the era that spawned starting with Sonic Adventure 1. This is definitely a fun adventure, though the level design can be rough at points. The Advance games could really use widescreen support releases.

WarioWare Smooth Moves is just, more WarioWare! But instead of scribbling all over a screen you pose in all sorts of funny ways that make great use of the Wii's motion gimmick.

This game needs to be released with Online, that's all I'm saying. Give it some more maps and it's golden.

You may notice that the WarioWare games are kind of packed together, and that's simply because they're all pretty much similar in quality. The only thing separating them is how much I like their gimmicks and microgames, to which I think Gold is definitely solid and amongst the better ones in the series. Honestly though, you can't go wrong with any of them.

Absolute fucking stupid game that aged like shit and I love it regardless. This is one of the few games I actually got to play with other people in my younger years due to having 2 young cousins who would play this game for me. (Blue Knight got banned because we all wanted to be him). Not the best in the world, but definitely worth a play.

This game was an unironic fire MOBA where you beat the living shit out of tiny people and save a princess who got thikc from too much cake. It's peak silliness AND it had untold effects on society, a win win!

My favorite WarioWare game just because of how much you can do with it. Who would've guessed that letting people make their own 10 second games was pure genius?

I don't care if people think this is one of the weaker Kirby games. Amazing Mirror is just cute, even if the Metroidvania aspects are shallow. Amazing with friends though.

A really fun beat em up based on one of the most gendered comic series! Nothing else much more to say.

This game is hardcore overrated and I'm not the first one to say this. It's definitely a great game with great ideas and characters, but it has serious flaws and IMO is overshadowed by other games both in its series and console.

What if we took one of the best kirby games

but more?

Also an overrated game that I feel got too much attention due to an internet fascist but I'm sorry games like this are just fun? Definitely more of a guilty pleasure.

A pretty decent movie tie in game that while I think is weaker than it's older brother is a game that should get more attention.

Really cute rhythm game made by the WarioWare people! Also gets really ball bustlingly hard at times but that's what makes mastering each song fun.

Ace Attorney is a series I'm fairly new too in terms of playing them, yet I've owned this game since I was 12. This game would be much higher if I was still that age, but it's incredibly inconsistent, peaking early and shumbling around different levels of quality with each case. I have too much connection with this game but even I will admit it's a bit faulty.

Just a really fun platformer staring the big yellow fuck from that game no one played.

OK no, THIS is the guilty pleasure Rare game. I absolutely love that there's too much to collect in this game, I want to play this game more because it's fucking stupid and I enjoy every second of it. (Note: That is a lie I fucking hate the Donkey Kong Arcade segment that sucks on main)

This game slaps better than the original and its sister game (which are both disqualified bc I never played them). Incredibly fun to listen and meme to.

Absolute perfect evolution of Pac-Man's staple gameplay. Simply addicting.

While I admit I should play the later games in this series, Sly charms me with his incredible wit and banter with everyone, a true sex icon.

Wario's greatest achievement...
Is only 61 on this list oops.

This is still an amazing puzzle platformer that makes great use of Wario's fucked up genetics to blast through stages. This game honestly doesn't feel real in terms of its presentation both aesthetically and audibly. It's almost fever dream-esque.

Slightly edging out his magnum opus is probably the most overlooked of the Wario Land games. This game gets elevated due to it's mirade of challenges and bonuses that make it fun to do more than just complete a level. Shout outs to this game for having a beautifully animated hand drawn art style.

Katamari games are what happens when you just don't give a fuck and want to vent your frustrations on society. And by venting I mean turning everything in sight into a giant clump of materials to be sent to space where God is an abusive parent who can blast people and buildings into stardust before returning them safely to earth.

This game invented Ripple Queen and my two daughters Ribbon and Adaline. Everyone in the class say hi to them.

Oh yeah also copy mixing is a fun concept.

Wario Land's set of funky physics and exploration based level design lends it perfectly well to a psuedo-metroidvania, which is something I think 3 plays to its fullest strengths. So much of this game can be done at your own pace that different playthroughs barely feel the same after the opening hour.

One of the few Megamen I've beaten, and definitely a really fun one with lots of content and robot designs that still feel cool despite threading reused ground for most of their themes.

Two different styles of high speed action merge to form one truly great game. Both feel great to play and this game definitely feels like a celebration for 20 years of the hog.

A mobile game with actual gameplay??? A gacha system that's not predatory??? Like the game is actually good on main??? That sounds fucking impossible, but it's true, and this game has been the OG since 2012.

This used to be my favorite Pokémon game straight up, so it's sad to see it only in the middle of the list. Sadly, a flawed level curve and bad distribution of the new mons makes replaying this game not as fun as I wish it would be. Thankfully there are patches that fix these issues for both the HGSS and Crystal!

One of the N64's only RPGs and arguably the only one of those that's of notable quality. This game uses its paper look less as a mechanical tool but as an aesthetical tool which I think helps seperate it from the rest of the series. The gameplay is fun and the characters are quirky, a really solid game.

This is that real shit Megaman fans like. Amazing OST, great boss designs and an inventive and fun selection of weapons. This game showed that Megaman can truely be timeless, and is dare I say the best the classic series has to offer. (I haven't played the other series tho sorryyyyy)

This game was dated before it even came out, but as a fan of the series since I was a child it's inspiring to see someone who made some of my favorite flash games make their own full fledged games. Besides the elephant in the room that one party member is a literal neo nazi (I don't use him he sucks anyways), the mechanics of this game feel refined and give you a lot of tools to mess with enemies in good ol' JRPG goodness.

You know me, I love JRPGs, and one thing I love about them is customizability. This game gives so much freedom on how to build your character it should be illegal, and it carries the game's lack of vocal cast heavily on that.

Mission mode.

Also good gameplay and (new) track selection.
Retro courses are a nice idea but they kinda suck in this game.

R.O.B.

You know what I said about customizability? What if we gave you more, but also have characters that interact with each other?

The competition, especially now that we're in the second half of this list is extremely tight. Games I love will end up far lower than even I expect, so it's a shocker to see FF7 here. I don't know what else to say that isn't known about this game, but if FF7 is down here, what can go above it?

Absolutely masterful work showcasing how the end of the world can affect people. This game is somber, and the people you meet are real. A must play for anyone who loves more serious games.

This game has been my fucking obsession lately. Even in the "bad" part of the game known as A Realm Reborn I'm still enjoying myself and can't wait until I reach the highs everyone tells me are awaiting.

Honestly it feels criminal to put a game like LISA at only 43 in the rankings. This is a beautiful work of art that displays humanity at its worst, and the lengths some go to for their needs, be it redemption, perversion, revenge, etc. with the whole spectrum of human depravity shown at its most raw. The only reason I don't have it higher is that this game can be honestly too much for me to bear, as it makes you feel like shit constantly with its oppressive atmosphere, and constantly forcing you to take undesirable actions that effect the story AND gameplay in meaningful ways. Definitely a game better than its ranking on this list, but please be in the right headspace when you play it.

Crash was a series I had always wanted to get into as a kid, and when I found out retro games stores existed as a teenager this was one of the first ones I scooped up and fell in love with. Extremely tight and fun game.

Honestly this and Crash 2 are so close for me that it can go either way, but I love the villains of this game more, as well as the time travel aesthetic, even if I think the actual gameplay falls more into 2's favor.

Honestly I slept on this game really hard. It's one I really respect and while it's not perfect it feels like its trying to be more than just a Pokemon game.

For my intro to game development class in college we had to make a let's play video of a video game. I showed this game to my professor and he said that whoever made it was on acid. He wasn't wrong, but he loved the game as much as I do and I think that says something.

I really want to play the HD version of this game, and it would probably be higher, but I still love the Wii version and all it does. This is boost sonic at it's peak for me.

Also werehog is slept on.

The worst Pikmin game manages to crop up to the top half of this list! Despite its shortcomings it still has an amazing atmosphere and while the lack of a timer waters down the gameplay this still is an enjoyable game I'd say.

If future pokemon games tried this hard to be innovative, take risks, and go past their boundries, we might be able to break the series's seasonal rot.

But y'all were mean to this game on release and now Game Freak doesn't try anymore.

Two absolute goobers run across a land full of beans in an endearing and charming romp. A bit short and lacking much depth, but easily the most unique in its series with great flavor.

Hey look, the first game in this list to make me cry!

Any game that can do that has my respect fully, and I want to highlight the ones that did. As such, you'll see a teardrop emote (💧) at the end of their blurb.

Besides that, this is a really fun and cute adventure about what would happen if you became a pokemon. Simple and fun escapism with an emotional twist. 💧

This game is bloated, yes. This game has too many tutorials, yes. This game does not have enough to keep me from enjoying every last second however. One of the 3DS's best showings.

Man the mechanics of this game go hard! A bit too hard, actually. One of the most satisfying racers but one of the most difficult and precise to master that isn't an F-Zero game. It's notable when even the staff ghosts are brutal as hell to clear.

City trial hardcore carries this game and you know that it alone deserves a sequel.

This game is just really really funny, and the more traditional RPG setup leads to funny situations you wouldn't expect Mario to be dealing with.

This game is the full package. It has so much of what I want in a Sonic game and it keeps giving me them. Especially with wide screen this game is an absolute must to play.

One of the games I have the most hours logged into, Isaac is a game brimming with content and has so many ways to absolutely break the game that it feels like a never ending supply of dopmine.

Holy shit imagine if SEGA made a sequel to this but with Amy Rose as playable.

"But Lexiiiiiiii these are three games!!!!"

While that may be true, I kind of view the first three Ace Attorney games as kind of one giant game split into 3. Amazingly witty writing and iconic characters make for one of the best VNs you can experience.

Remember when this game was an hidden gem? I do, and it's so glad to see it be more known nowadays. This platformer is one of the most inventive of its kin, and definitely deserves the recognition it has recieved.

Also it goes on sale for like a dollar sometimes so keep your eyes peeled.

Frantic and chaotic with just a bit of lunacy, Double Dash is the fastest pace entry in the series with so much going on it's hard to keep track. There's so much going on that it makes this game nonstop entertaining!

Ok yeah, I actually like the gameplay of this one, but you know that's not the reason its so high up. This game has an absolutely gorgeous story that takes the Mario universe to places it wouldn't dare to travel elsewhere, almost as if a Shakespearean tragedy played over a side scroller. 💧

Guitar hero RPG that's funny and with a nice story. Honestly play this one for yourself it's really good and I don't want to spoil.

It says a lot when a game gets
an entire defunct online service resurrected from the dead just because of its popularity, but with so many mods and just the base game being so much fun, is there any wonder why this was the golden boy of the racing genre for so long?

I want to write a full review of this game honestly. It's a game that manages to fit the entire spectrum of emotion space can convey while being absolute eye and ear candy. Also one of the only Mario games to have an actually interesting plot. 💧

What if you were trapped in the jungle, with only 30 days before you die and the only way to survive is to use a bunch of worker ants to fend for yourself and perform tasks? That's Pikmin. One of Nintendo's most meloncholic games that strike the primal fear of survival in an unknown environment.

The only Fire Emblem that can stand with the true greats in my opinion. This game takes worldbuilding built off real world struggles to convey a deeply powerful message, with fully realized characters and gameplay that feels like a series that's been refined over the better half of two decades.

A must play (especially now that the remake is out) platformer with a mature story and is overall just a really good time.

This game does nothing special and yet it feels like it does everything special. A solid RPG propped up by a lovable cast and grand world, with a 10 hour demo included for anyone curious.

The literal best gameplay Sonic has ever had ever, with a great and honestly underrated roster (yes, that includes you Big) and a story that's so cheesy that you can't help but love it.

Imagine the cheese from SA1 cranked up to its logical extreme with the most radical game on the list. An extremely corny yet fun game that feels like it could've ended my favorite franchise, and I would be more than satisfied.

Now THIS is a followup, a game so long in the making that you can feel the vision it had all these years later. This game feels unreal that it exists sometimes, and shows that even collectathons can have incredibly impactful stories.

I love classic Sonic, and I love 3D sonic gameplay. What if we mixed both i to a perfect marriage of the two with one of the most enjoyable platformers around, with tons of mods and work done to make the game better day by day.

While considerably lighter in tone than Pikmin 1, this game manages to surpass it with the sheer beauty of the environments and how much improved the gameplay feels. I'm still waiting for a 4th serving of this franchise.

Such an obscure game in the top 10, and yet I feel it can be in no other position. This game has filled me with so many enjoyable hours, yet I keep coming back to it. You just had to be there when it was getting new content.

It's a kart racer but you can put Honey the Cat in it what is there not to love??? Honestly though, the fact this game is as mechanically tight as it is while being so easy to mod makes playing it a nonstop romp of enjoyment.

Over 2000 hours and I still can't get enough. One of the finest shooters oozing with personality. Gone strong for so long and it never gets tiring, a true legend of gaming.

This would be just a normal game around the 40s or 50s or so if it weren't for how fun speedrunning this game is. This game oozes refrences to the original run of the show and feels like an absolute love letter while feeling amazing to play.

An absolute laugh riot. Easily the most refined the M&L games have felt, with a ton of great moments and even a playable turtle who I guess is kind of a mecha when you think of it. Either way, this game never fails to put me in a good mood!

Chrono Trigger came at a time when I was starting to be able to articulate why I like art, and this game hooked me so much that I wanted to know everything about it. I love everything about this game and it really is deserving to be called one of the greatest games of all time.

A really silly game that shows its heart is in the right place, Trials of Mana's interesting gameplay premise translates well to the modern day, with corny dialogue and directing help this game show that it's just there to lighten your mood!

One of the most ethereal things I have ever experienced. A short but heartfelt loveletter to the world of dreams where everything feels mystical yet fake. This isn't just one of my favorite games, but one I think is among the greatest pieces of art. 💧

OMORI is a game that broke me. This game fully shows what it's like to live with trauma, and the pain it inflicts on everyone around you. How everyone copes differently, how simple actions can have giant changes in your life, and accurately displays what it's truly like to take the first steps in recovery. This game is not for the faint of heart, but it's an absolute masterpiece that changes you when you're done. 💧

I don't even know where to start with this one. MOTHER 3 is everything to me. It's happiness, sorrow, fear, silly, bleak, real and fantastical. No game has ever made me feel such a spectrum of emotions before when playing, and everytime I replay this game I learn something new. There's no other way to describe MOTHER 3 except as a pure unadulterated vision that makes you feel like every creative drop was expertly used in the crafting of this game. I cried at this game, 3 different times, and that was only on my most recent playthrough. Please play MOTHER 3. It's an emotionally resonate and politcially powerful masterpiece that belongs up there as one of the best works of not just gaming, not just media, but art in general. 💧💧💧